Chapter Two

After Peter's hasty exit from Anna's house, he ended up on the docks, meeting up with Valentin Cassadine. "Why aren't you somewhere safe... with Maxie... and her little boy James?" Valentin questioned. "Why did you ask me to meet you tonight... HERE?"

"I was at Violet Finn's birthday party when I heard about the quarantine. I am on my way back to Maxie's now."

"How'd the party go?"

"Terrible. I threw a cake at Robert Scorpio. Finn left with his daughter. It was a mess. But I loved socking it to Scorpio. That part was a blast," Peter said with a smirk.

"You need to lay low. Stop going to parties with Robert Scorpio. You're far too reckless. Someone's going to find out the truth," Valentin warned with a scowl. "Don't be a fool."

"Don't worry, big brother. No one is going to find out that Faison was not only my father, but he was also yours."

"Never say that out-loud! You're going to ruin EVERYTHING!" Valentin hissed. "If all goes as planned, I will pass myself off as one of Edward Quartermaine's illegitimate offspring. I'll get my hands on the Quartermaine fortune."

"I won't wreck your plans," Peter stated. "And regarding Anna, she doesn't even have a clue. I am NOT her son. Alex was my mother. I'm Anna's nephew. She never slept with Faison."

"There you go again, blurting out FAR too much!" Valentin said with a growl. "Go home and stay your ass out of trouble!"

"Whatever you say, big bro. I'll catch ya on the flip-side," Peter said as he stepped away into the darkness.

Valentin searched the docks with his eyes. He couldn't help but feel that they had been watched by unseen eyes.

He wasn't wrong. Someone stood in the shadows. And now that someone knew ALL of their secrets.

After his chat with Valentin, Peter was hurrying back to the apartment where he lived with Maxie and her little son James. He was crossing the street, distracted as he thought about his engaging chat with Valentin. He didn't see the bus coming right at him. He let out a shriek of pain as he was mowed down by the vehicle.

Xxxooo

"Dad, is mom alright?" Emma asked her father in a worried voice from the backseat.

They were rushing down the interstate toward their destination. Patrick was trying to watch the road, but he was knew Robin wasn't well. She had a low grade fever, a sore throat, and other distressing symptoms. Patrick feared the worst. Robin had begged him to take her to Port Charles, because she needed her mom and dad. She didn't want to be quarantined without her family beside her.

Little Noah whimpered in the backseat. Emma handed him his favorite stuffed monkey and caressed his little head. "It's okay, Noah," Emma said in a shaky voice.

"Emma, I need you to take care of Noah. Your mother will be alright. She just has to be," Patrick said as he continued to drive.

Emma cried because she knew her mother wasn't well. She had HIV. Emma had been reading all about the deadly virus, Covid-19. Her mother was high-risk for complications if she contracted the virus. Emma loved her mother ever so much. She couldn't bear to lose her. She held little Noah's hand as she quietly began to pray.

Xxxooo

Robert let out a groan of frustration when all of his calls to Robin and Patrick had gone to voice mail. Even his preteen granddaughter wasn't answering her phone. "Don't all the kiddies spend the majority of their time on their phones?!" he said to Anna in exasperation.

At that point, Anna was also frantic. Robin always answered her calls. Something must be terribly wrong. "Robert, I have been so... selfish," she said as she stumbled over the words. "All that's been on my mind lately is protecting Peter... at any cost. I forgot all the blessings I already had in my life."

Tears filled up her eyes as Robert drew her into his arms. "I can't deny that you've been... EXTREMELY hard-headed, but don't beat yourself up, Love. We can't think the worst. There has to be some explanation as to why Robin isn't answering her phone."

"Maybe she's in the hospital? Maybe..." Her voice broke as she dissolved into quiet sobs.

Robert held her as all the deep emotions tumbled out. He softly caressed her hair as he tried to soothe her. "Welcome back to reality, Anna. I've missed you so much," he said.

Xxxooo

Michael read a storybook to little Wiley, then gently tucked him into his bed. "Good night. Daddy loves you," Michael said as he smiled at his precious son.

"Dadda," Wiley said softly. Michael's heart melted. It was the first time that Wiley had ever called him daddy.

There were tears of happiness in his eyes when Michael left the nursery. He finally had Wiley back where he belonged. HE WAS A DAD! It was the best feeling in the world. He was incredibly filled with joy and he knew that nothing could stop it. But the phone was about to ring and Michael's world would once again be turned upside down.

"Jason?" Michael said as he answered the call.

"Michael, did you hear the news?"

"What news? Is something wrong?" Michael asked as worry furrowed his brow.

"It's the virus, Covid-19. Laura Collins announced an order of shelter-in-place. I got a text about 15 minutes ago."

"Ohhh. I got a text earlier, but I didn't check my phone. I was reading Wiley his bedtime story. I just got him tucked into bed."

"Michael, you need to stay inside. You have to protect yourself and Wiley. Is anyone else at home?"

"Ned, Olivia, and Leo are here. Grandma Monica's at the hospital. Jason, is my mom okay?"

"She's fine. She's at home with Joss, Trina, Avery, and Donna. She's worried about you though. I told her I would call you."

"Wiley and I will be fine. I am not going anywhere, Jason. I promise."

"Okay. If you need anything, call. I will do whatever I can."

*I will do whatever is necessary, for you OR your mother,* Jason was thinking. *Family is all that matters.*

"I'll call you later... and Mom, too," Michael stated. "Stay safe."

After he ended the call, Michael stood in the hallway, staring off into space. He had been through far too much in his life - so much unnecessary pain. When Wiley had been returned to him, he thought that life was finally looking up for him. His heart ached. Now that Covid-19 was a threat to all that he loved, it would appear that perhaps he was wrong.

Xxxooo

Josslyn stared at her mom in a state of shock. Covid-19? She had read about that nasty virus on the internet. It was killing people in other countries. She had never really thought it would come here - to the United States. But she was wrong. Her mother had told her and Trina that the city was now on lock-down. "This CAN'T be happening," Joss said as she shook her head in denial. "What about Avery and Donna? They're both so little. Are they going to be okay?"

Carly put an arm around her daughter. "Honey, we need to be strong... for both Avery and Donna. All that matters is we take care of them... and each other. We'll make it through this. I promise you."

Carly pulled Joss close in a warm hug. As Carly and Josslyn embraced, Trina spoke. "Mrs. C, can I go home now? My mom..."

"Trina, I called your mom. She's at the hospital. They really need her now. A lot of patients are coming in... and they're all very sick," Carly said gently. "You can stay here with us."

"But I don't want my mom to be at the hospital, around all those sick people," Trina protested. "She could get sick, too... then I'll lose my mom AND my dad."

"I know you're scared, honey, and worried about your mom, but she is doing everything she can to keep herself safe while taking care of her patients. She can't leave the hospital. They're on quarantine, too," Carly explained.

"So I am stuck here. Joss, we need to call Cam! Do you think he's alright?!" Trina exclaimed.

"We'll call him," Josslyn said. "I am sure he's fine. His mom's a nurse."

"We'll all be fine," said Carly, but she wasn't so sure of it. She was especially worried about Mike. Sonny's father was fragile already and if he tested positive for the virus, he didn't stand a chance. Sonny hadn't called her in hours. She took that as a bad sign.

"I need to call, Sonny. Are you girls alright?" Carly said as she gave both Joss and Trina hugs.

"We're okay. We are going to check in on Cam now," Josslyn stated. Carly nodded. She left the room to call Sonny.

Xxxooo

At the hospital, Sonny was at Mike's bedside with tears swimming in his eyes. The doctors had preformed a Covid-19 test a few hours earlier on Mike. Now all they could do was wait for the test results.

"Dad, can you hear me? Dad? Please wake up," Sonny pleaded with his father.

Cyrus Renault had entered General Hospital before Laura had put the quarantine into action. He was wandering the halls, looking for the man he longed to destroy. He knew that Sonny Corinthos was with his ailing father. He was waiting for the right moment, then he would strike. Nurses and doctors rushed around him, oblivious to the threat he presented as they battled a far more life-threatening enemy - the Corona Virus.

"We need more ventilators!" Epiphany cried out as more patients were brought in on stretchers, gasping for breath.

"I'll get them," said Bobbie Spencer as she rushed off to get more medical supplies.

A woman was brought into the ER, heavily pregnant. "Please save my baby!" she begged.